


The Chosen

by ImaginaRose



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Dead Emilie Agreste, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Good Guy Gabriel Agreste, Good Parent Gabriel Agreste, Guardian Gabriel AU, Lila is still horrible, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, Ultimate Adrinette shipper Gabriel, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-19 12:16:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17001498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginaRose/pseuds/ImaginaRose
Summary: Dark powers exist in the world and sometimes, humans aren't enough to face them. Sometimes heroes are needed.Gabriel knew, that he couldn't fight the dark powers alone. But it still seemed wrong. They were still just childern.***Based on this post https://awholelotofladybug.tumblr.com/post/180377016453/guardian-gabriel-au-an-au-where-gabriel-is-a-good





	1. Necessity

It wasn’t the first or last time, that Gabriel Agreste got so tied up in his work, that he didn’t notice the sky growing dark. Over the prior two years, it has happened to him more times, than he could – or wanted – to count.

Of course, he wouldn’t admit the reason he buried himself in the work. Even if she was literally watching him every time he did.

Usually, it didn’t matter. Usually, he would just turn off the computer and go to bed.

It was different, this time.

He stood up and looked at the painting behind him.

From the half-open drawer in his desk flew a small purple creature and it settled on his shoulder.

Two years prior, almost to the day, he lost her. And after that… everything changed.

“I have felt something today.” the Kwami mentioned. “I think that… they found their way here.”

“That’s impossible.” Gabriel shook his head. “They shouldn’t be able to.”

“They shouldn’t be able to hurt Kwamis either. And you know, what they did to Duusu.”

“Seems like we’re heading back to fight, then.” Gabriel sighed, his eyes still fixated on the painting.

“You can’t fight them on your own. You’ll die.”

“I can’t risk putting more Miraculous out there.” Gabriel shook his head again. The Kwami levitated higher and faced his master. “It won’t just put in danger more people… it might put the whole world in danger.”

“You won’t help the world, when you’re dead.” Nooroo reminded his master. “You’ll need more allies than just akumas for this one.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Gabriel sighed. “Maybe it is time.”

He looked at the painting again. He thought of the treasure hidden behind it.

“Maybe Paris does need more heroes.”

***

Adrien tapped his foot impatiently. What was taking the girl so long?

Finally, the bakery door opened, and the dark-haired girl walked out.

“Sorry I left you waiting. I couldn’t find my design book.” she apologized, blushing. He shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t mind. My dad might, but…”

“Oh my… are we late?” she asked nervously.

“It’s fine. I came a little earlier than I had to. Just to be sure.” he assured her. “Can I help you with anything?”

“It’s fine… but thanks.” she smiled, as they sat down in the car.

***

Marinette didn’t know much of the Agreste mansion. She saw the front lawn and the entrance hall, but not much beyond that.

Adrien smiled, as he noticed her awe at the sheer size of that place.

“My room is upstairs. We’re early, so…” he suggested and walked her to his room.

“Your room alone is probably bigger than our whole house.” she pointed out as she walked in.

“I wouldn’t say that, but… I guess it is pretty big.”

She looked around the room. Giant windows, huge TV, a shelf filled with trophies.

“Those are all yours?” she asked him. Many of the seemed to be fencing prizes.

“Some of them are after my parents. They’re just all here.” he explained. “They both used to fence, too. I’m pretty sure that was where they met, actually.”

She didn’t say anything. She laid her bag next to his bed and watched as he sat down to his desk and spun around in the chair, before putting his feet on the table.

“Make yourself at home. We still have almost half an hour.”

“You came for me really early.”

“I know you have problems with being on time.”

“By few minutes. Not an hour.” she rolled her eyes. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Adrien put his feet back on the ground, as a tall woman entered the room.

“I’ve heard you arrive.” she said. “Mr. Agreste’s last appointment ended early. He said, that your friend should come in now.”

Marinette of course knew Mr. Agreste’s assistant. The woman sometimes showed up in school instead of Adrien’s father. But she never spoke to Nathalie herself. Just like everything else inside of the mansion, save for Adrien, she seemed to be cold, plain, emotionless… elegant, but impersonal.

“Okay…” Marinette took a deep breath and looked at Adrien.

“I’ll show her, where to go, Nathalie.” Adrien offered. “Thank you.”

“Very well… don’t leave him waiting.” The woman smiled a bit and left.

Marinette looked at the door, then back at Adrien.

“Don’t be afraid.” he picked her bag up. “Your designs are awesome and I’m sure my dad will agree.”

“I can carry my bag alone, thank you.” she reached for it, but he was already in the corridor.

“You’re shaking like crazy. No offence, but you’d probably drop it.”

“Right.” she nodded.

“Calm down. It’s not a big deal.” he assured her.

He opened the door and handed her the bag.

“Good luck.”

***

He nodded and closed the notepad.

“You certainly aren’t lacking in talent.” he said, as he handed it back to her. “Adrien was right about that. Some designs need more refinement, but for someone your age, I would say the work is acceptable.”

She put the notepad back to the bag. She wasn’t sure what to say.

“I think that along with your previous achievements, the internship is yours.”

“Thank you.” she finally managed to say.

“Everyone needs to start somewhere.” he shrugged his shoulders. “You should thank more Adrien, than me, though. He convinced me to give you a chance.”

“I will. And… thank you again. I never thought I would get a chance like this.”

He didn’t reply for a moment, seemingly looking at something in one of the drawers in his desk. Then, Adrien burst into the room.

“What is it?” Gabriel asked his son.

“Something is happening in the city.” Adrien explained. “Look at the TV. There is a monster!”

“Adrien, you probably accidentally put on some action movie.” Gabriel rolled his eyes. Behind the mildly annoyed mask was hidden worry. Could it be…?

“I’m not five anymore.” Adrien defended himself. “Just look.”

Gabriel turned on the news on his computer and there is was. The dark creature… one just like the ones he fought when…

 _One just like the one, that killed Emilie_.

He knew it couldn’t be the same one, but it still felt awful to see it.

“Father, are you okay? You look pale.” Adrien asked him, walking a little closer. In the last few months, the boy has grown fast, and they were now almost the same height.

“It’s just… I can’t believe it’s real.” Gabriel composed himself again. He needed to act. Adrien looked at the creature on the monitor, and through his Miraculous, Gabriel could sense something unexpected in the boy. There wasn’t any fear. Just confusion.

“It looks like something from a nightmare.” Adrien pointed out.

“That is in the center of the city.” Marinette gasped. “My parents are in the bakery…”

“I’m sure they are okay…” Adrien walked closer to her, hoping to calm down the classmate.

Gabriel looked at the painting of his wife. He knew she would approve of what he was about to do.

She believed in heroes.

He walked back to his desk and took the two boxes out. He knew the rules, but it was an emergency.

He waited for too long.

And it wasn’t like there was anyone to get mad at him for breaking said rules.

“Both of you, I need you to calm down for a second and listen.”

The two kids looked at him. He noticed how Adrien let go of Marinette’s hand.

“I know, what that creature is.” he started. “They don’t have a real name, but everyone calls the demons. They aren’t even real creatures. It doesn’t matter.”

Marinette seemed suspicious, while Adrien reflected only curiosity.

“Normal people can’t do much to stop them, but there are people, who can.” With that, he handed them the boxes. “In those boxes are jewels called Miraculous. They give power, that will allow you to defeat those… things.”

“Like in those stories you and mum told me, when I was a kid?” Adrien asked. “About _Le Paon_ and _Pappilon_?”

“Not exactly… these two are the most powerful Miraculous out there.” Gabriel explained and looked at Marinette. “The Ladybug Miraculous, carrying the power of creation. And the Black Cat, granting the power of destruction.”

“This is crazy.” Marinette shook her head.

“Open the boxes. You’ll see for yourself.”

Adrien was the first one to open the box.  From it, a ball of light, that formed into a cat-like Kwami.

“Hey, I’m Plagg.” the creature grinned wide at his new owner.

Marinette carefully opened her own box, and the Ladybug Kwami appeared, too.

“There are few basic rules, before you go.” Gabriel reminded them, as they put on the Miraculous. “First of all, both of the Miraculous have a special power – you can use it once, and then you’ll have five minutes before you transform back.”

Neither of them said anything.

“Second – nobody can know, who you are. You can’t tell your identities to anyone.”

“Nobody?”

“No. If there was time for rules, you wouldn’t even know, who the other one is. But today, there is no time for rules.”

“You really think we can do this?” Adrien asked him.

“I do. And… I think your mother would be proud.” Gabriel nodded. “There is no time to waste. You need to transform and go.”

“Thank you, father.” Adrien smiled wide and hugged his father.

Gabriel seemed surprised for a second, before returning the hug.

“Stop it with the _father_ nonsense, Adrien.” he smiled. “Dad is enough.”

***

The world was so strange in this new form. He ran through the streets, over the rooftops, and he didn’t feel a bit tired yet.

He could jump further and higher, too. It was crazy.

Next to him, his dark-haired classmate – usually clumsy – elegantly swung from building to building.

Finally, there was the creature.

“We need to get it somewhere further from people.” she said. “Didn’t your father say that the weakness is in the eyes?”

“Yeah.” he crouched and watched the situation below. A group of policemen tried to keep the creature at bay, but all their guns and other weapons seemed to do was enrage the creature. Then, it noticed them.

“I think it knows we’re here.” Marinette pointed out. “Any idea, where to take it?”

“The stadium.” she suggested.

“If you say so.” he smiled at her, as they begun to run. It was a short run. The creature seemed to follow them. It was him, who noticed someone else following them.

“Is that Alya?” he asked Marinette.

“I don’t see anything.” she shook her head. “Run!”

Then, they were at the stadium. It seemed like the perfect cage for the creature.

“Now, what’s the plan?” he asked her.

“Why are you asking me?” The creature pounced at her and she had to jump away.

“I don’t know. You seem more in charge like this.” he chuckled. “M’Lady.”

“Keep it.” she muttered, as she landed next to him. “Can you keep it occupied? I’ll try to figure something out.”

“As you wish.” he grinned and threw his baton at the creature. It bounced back into his hand and the creature turned at him. He heard Marinette shout _Lucky Charm_ behind him and then mumble something confused.

“Hey… a little hand here?” he looked at her, as he moved from the path of another attack.

“Working on it.” she replied. In his peripheral vision, he noticed the person, that followed them on their way there.

It was really Alya.

“We’ve got a problem on entrance one!” he shouted. “We should pack this up quick.”

“I think I have a plan.” she finally said. “Get it to the goal.”

“You have it.” he grinned and ran to the closer goal. “Now what?”

The creature ran to him.

“Wait… wait…” she muttered, holding something looking like a curved metal bar. The creature was just few meters away, when she finally shouted “Jump.”

The creature dug its front half into the net and Marinette held it in place with the Charm.

“Cataclysm the eyes.” she shouted at him. He jumped back down and called upon his power.

The creature disappeared in a puff of smoke the moment he touched the creature’s eye. Marinette smiled and threw the thing to the sky.

“Miraculous Ladybug.”

And a stream of… pink light? Actual ladybugs? Whatever is was, it flew around them, repairing the places, where the creature’s claws dug into the grass.

And Marinette’s – Ladybug’s – earrings begun to beep.

“You’re running out of time. We should go.” he suggested. Alya was running to them, phone in hand.

“That was awesome!” she shouted. “Real heroes! Do you have superhero names? Who are you? Where did you come from?”

“We’re Ladybug and Chat Noir.” he grinned. “And we’re on our way.”

“See you later.” Ladybug waved at Alya, before jumping away.

Their first victory.

Hopefully, not the last one.


	2. Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short Chrismas chapter for everyone reading this. Enjoy.

“Tell me again, how did you completely miss the fact, that there was a huge monster rampaging through the city?” Alya asked her, as the two of them settled in their desk.

“I didn’t _miss it_. I was at Adrien’s place and that place is kinda away from everything. It didn’t last that long anyway.” Marinette defended herself.

“At Adrien’s place?” Alya cocked an eyebrow.

“Not in the way you think.” Marinette rolled her eyes. “He arranged for me to meet his dad… and guess who managed to earn an internship at _Gabriel_?”

“You’re kidding.” Alya looked at her in disbelief.

“No. All true.”

“Well, congratulation.” Alya grinned. “You’re probably the luckiest person in school.”

“She indeed is.” Adrien’s voice came from behind them. “Hi, by the way.”

“Well, you know, what happened to me? I met real-life superheroes.” Alya pulled out her phone. “The people, who defeated the weird Catzilla thing.”

“That did _not_ look like a cat.”

“And it had like what, eight legs?” Marinette added.

“You said you didn’t see it.” Alya pointed out.

“I didn’t see it for myself. I saw it on TV, of course. I don’t live under a rock.”

The bell rang, and they all got into their places.

***

“That was close.” Adrien scratched his neck. “Why did you have to tell Alya we didn’t see the thing?”

“Excuse me?” she stopped and turned to him. “You were the one, who had to get defensive, when she called the demon _Catzilla_.”

“But it really didn’t look like a cat.”

“That’s not the point.”

“And you sided with me.” he mentioned.

“That isn’t the point either.”

“If you say so.” he sighed. “I love chatting with you, but I have a fencing lesson starting in like five minutes and need to get changed. See you later.”

He didn’t even wait for her response, before heading back into the school building. She looked after him and sighed.

“I’m so bad at this.” she muttered.

“Don’t be down. You’re just starting.”

“You’re right, Tikki. I just need to get used to all of this madness.”

***

The evening approached and – just like the few previous days since the first demon showed  - she got on her roof and transformed.

She was getting used to the transformed state. She was stronger, had much bigger stamina and it seemed like her natural clumsiness vanished.

As she swung between the rooves of the city, she saw him. Just a roof ahead of her.

He seemed to notice her and slowed down, so she could catch up to him.

“Hey.” she greeted him.

“Nice to see you again, M’Lady.” he grinned.

“Keep it.” she rolled her eyes. “I wanted to apologize for… earlier today. I overreacted.”

“I was friends with Chloé for… as long as I can remember. And when it comes to overreacting, you’re not even close.” he smiled. “And I might have gotten a little too defensive about the Catzilla thing.”

“It didn’t look like a cat, though.” she smiled.

“We’ve got chemistry first thing in the morning, don’t we?” he mentioned after they just stood in silence for a moment.

“We do… but it’s the first lesson of the year.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Which means we’re going to write a test to see how much we forgot over the summer.”

“Why did I hope that was just a one off thing last year?” he sighed.

“Come on, you were acing the class last year.” she shook her head in disbelief. “And the year before that. ”

“Anyway, I would take it fast and then go home.”

“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, Kitty.”

They ran over the rooftops, and everything seemed to be quiet.

“You know, I’m happy dad picked you.” he mentioned, as they stopped on the rooftop of the school. “Out of all the other people… you really are the best choice.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re smart, talented, creative…” Marinette’s cheeks resembled her mask in their color, now. “Loyal… Out of all the people I know, I wouldn’t pick anyone else.”

“That reminds me…” She stopped and tried to find the best way to say it. “You and your father… you talked about some… stories. And your mum…”

“When I was little, my parents used to tell me stories about heroes, not really unlike us. _Le Paon_ and _Papillon_. I’m just now realizing, that the stories were probably true… and about them.”

“Wow… that sounds awesome. And a little dangerous.”

“We talked about it with my dad, the next evening. He told me a lot… like why I was so isolated as a kid.”

“Because of the demons?”

“Yeah. When I was… like five, I think, we were on a family vacation and… the demons found them. They attacked us at night and…” he shook his head. “I don’t remember much of it. I know that mum fought them off. That she had to transform in front of me…” he smiled. “They told me it was just a nightmare.”

“And then they locked you up.”

“That sounds worse than it was.” Chat shook his head. “I was a bit lonely, but… now, that I get why… I don’t hold it against them.”

Somewhere in the city, bells begun to ring.

“Is it really that late?” she looked at him.

“Yep. Time to go home.” he nodded. “See you tomorrow.”

***

Couple of days passed without much happening. Few ordinary criminals and a cat stuck on a tree – which didn’t pass without Chat making one too many cat puns.

That particular afternoon seemed to be just like that.

They went around the city on patrol, and as the sun was headed for the horizon, they got ready to go home.

“Can I ask you something?” she stopped suddenly.

“Yeah, sure.” he smiled, running his hand through his hair. He hissed. “Claws. Need to think about those.”

She chuckled. “Do you have anything special in mind for your birthday party?”

“The same as every year.” he shrugged. “Which is not much.”

“I thought…”

“We talked about it with dad… he still doesn’t like the idea of a big party, but… I’ve made some progress.”

“So?”

“I think that should stay a secret, M’Lady. Wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, now, would you?” he smiled and “Anyway, I wish you claw-some night. See you tomorrow.”

“You too.” she rolled her eyes and headed home.

She transformed back and crawled into her room. She was surprised to find a missed call on her phone.

From Luka.

 _Shoot,_ she thought, as she called him back.

“Hey, how are you?” she asked.

“I wanted to ask, if you would come to visit. We just came back from the vacation and… it doesn’t matter, now. It’s too late.”

“I could come tomorrow after school.” she suggested. She didn’t see him in weeks. After his eighteenth birthday at the start of the summer, he found himself – with a bit of her help – a job helping Jagged Stone, as he was touring Europe. Which meant, he wasn’t in the city for most of the summer. And from the money he got, he took his mum and sister on a vacation. Which overlapped into the school year and had ended exactly that day.

 _How could I forget?_ she shook her head.

“Sounds good. The usual place?”

“Sure.” she smiled and ended the conversation.

“Who was that?” Tikki asked her, as she was eating a cookie from the plate on Marinette’s desk.

“My boyfriend. The one I was calling every day.” Marinette chuckled. “He’s great. You’ll see.”

“Oh…” Tikki levitated to Marinette’s bed. “Good night.”

“Good night, Tikki.”

***

“How have you been dealing with the new responsibilities?” Gabriel asked Adrien.

“I’m handling it.” Adrien assured him. “I was just thinking… if I could lose some of the afterschool activities?”

“You have something particular in mind?”

“I thought I could loosen up on the Chinese lessons. Three lessons a week seems too much. Since I already know most of it…”

“That sounds acceptable.” Gabriel nodded. “I’ll tell Nathalie to inform your tutor.”

“Thank you… dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me over this - this story starts about two years later than the actualy show (so Adrien and Marinette are 16) and Adrien started going to school at the same time he did in the show (two years prior to the start of my story). Marinette still crushed on him pretty heavily and when it went nowhere, she decided to try and move on - hence her dating Luka at this point in the story. They'll break up, I can promise you that :-D


	3. Heartbreaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has a date and the Kwamis are not happy. Plus, first flashback to how all of this happened.

She walked into the classroom and looked around. She had few more minutes, before the class started. She walked to Juleka’s desk. She was just showing Rose a video from the vacation.

“It’s good to see you’re back in one piece.” Marinette chuckled. “How was Corsica?”

“It was cool.” Juleka smiled. “But Luka kept talking about you.”

“Is that a bad thing? They’re dating.” Rose pointed out.

“It got annoying at places. He spent half of the time writing that song about you.” Juleka mentioned. “He can’t wait to play it to you.”

“I think you weren’t supposed to tell me that.”

“I thought he told you already. Since he was calling with you the other half of the vacation.” Juleka shrugged her shoulders. “It’s pretty good, from what I’ve heard.”

“That’s so romantic.” Rose giggled.

“If you say so.” Marinette chuckled. “I won’t tell him you told me.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Juleka shrugged her shoulders.

***

Adrien watched Marinette walk out of the school, before heading to the locker room for his fencing lesson. He saw the turquoise-haired musician greeting with Marinette before the school building.

He didn’t know, why he felt so jealous all of a sudden. The two had been dating for months, before Luka’s whole-summer trip around Europe.

“Who is that guy?” Plagg asked him, floating around his head.

“Someone’s going to see you.” Adrien hissed at the Kwami, before heading to the locker room, turning away from Marinette and Luka. “That’s Marinette’s boyfriend. He was travelling around for some time.”

“You don’t like him?”

“I don’t care. Why should I? It’s not like me and Marinette were ever a thing.” Adrien shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought you two were…” Plagg started. “Never mind.”

“We’re just friends, okay? There isn’t anything and never was.”

***

“How were you over here?” Luka asked her, as they walked alongside of the river. “I’ve seen the news. About the weird black monster and the superheroes. Did you see it?”

“I wasn’t in the center at the time.” she explained. “I already told you… I was at the Agreste estate… trying to impress Gabriel Agreste enough to get that internship I was talking to you about.”

“And?”

“I got it.” she grinned.

“I’m so proud of you, Marinette.” he patted her on the back.

“And I’m happy it worked out for you, too.”

“I’ve learned quite a few new songs.” he mentioned. “And I’ve even gave a shot to writing something longer. You wanna hear it?”

“Sure.” she nodded, as they got to the ship.

“You want to come aboard, or should I just take the guitar?”

“I want to say hi to your mum.”

***

“I really don’t get it, Plagg. Why do you two care, that Marinette has a boyfriend?” Adrien asked the Kwamis sitting on his desk.

“Usually, the Black Cat and Ladybug were… a couple.” Tikki explained.

“And you’re cute together.” Plagg added. The Ladybug Kwami rolled her eyes.

“Well, she has someone else… she has had someone else for almost a year now, and it seems to working out for them, so…”

“We could break them up.” Plagg mentioned. “You have superpowers.”

“No!” Tikki and Adrien said almost instantly.

“Leave them be. She’s just a friend. There’s nothing wrong with her having another boyfriend. I don’t want her to be with me.”

With that, he got up and left the two Kwamis sitting on his bed.

“I’ll go get some water.”

Tikki looked at Plagg.

“He’s right.”

“He’s in denial.”

“I’m not saying he isn’t. But we shouldn’t hurt Marinette that way just because we want them to be together.”

“They were _always_ together.”

“Give them time, Plagg. They’ve had the Miraculous for few human weeks. At this point, most of the others didn’t even know each other’s identities.”

“Well, since they do, it should be easier, right?”

“Have patience, Plagg. They always take months. Sometimes years – human time.”

“The sevenths ones didn’t.”

“The seventh ones were already married, when they got us. And it was centuries ago in human time. Humans don’t get married at fourteen anymore.”

“Fine, fine. I give them a year. If they don’t get together in a year, I’ll do something about it.”

“Please don’t.”

***

_It was a sunny day. Like the weather was laughing at his misfortune and loss._

_It was almost a month since he had lost her._

_He only left the house once in that time – for her funeral._

_When they came home that day, he begun cleaning out her stuff. He even though for a few minutes about giving up his Miraculous._

_That was, when he found it._

_Letters, exchanged between Emilie and someone who called himself_ Master Fu _._

_The Guardian._

_Emilie found the Guardian._

_And arranged to meet with him._

_With the letter and her Miraculous in his pocket, he had the driver take him to the address mentioned in one of the last letters._

_He was nervous, when he walked to the shop. There was a small cardboard sign on the entrance door, that advertised an Eastern healing therapy._

_He never believed in those things._

_He knocked on the translucent door._

_“Come in.” the owner invited him in._

_On a rug in the middle of the room sat a small old man. The two of them looked at each other._

_“I know I’m probably not, who you expected.” Gabriel started. “But my wife couldn’t come herself.”_

_The small man’s eyes landed on the purple brooch, that he didn’t hide for once. The man nodded._

_“Come sit, then.”_


End file.
